Maybe Next Time
by Sperare Fidem
Summary: Because Roman only needed to get the dust. He recognized the girl as a huntress, and he definitely knew not to mess with her if they wanted to get the job done. Now, without Ozpin inviting her to Beacon due to her skill, Ruby finds herself stuck at Patch with her father. Saving the day? Maybe next time. (AU)


**"** **Maybe Next Time"**

 **Summary: Because Roman only needed to get the dust. He recognized the girl as a huntress, and he definitely knew not to mess with her if they wanted to get the job done. Now, without Ozpin inviting her to Beacon due to her skill, Ruby finds herself stuck at Patch with her father. Saving the day? Maybe next time. (AU)**

* * *

 **The Robbery!**

Ruby Rose, age 15, was having a wonderful day.

After spending a few hours in Vale, preparing for the new school year, Ruby had decided to go to the nearest Dust shop for some magazines.

She had her headphones on her head, blasting music into her ear, and her eyes were practically glued to to the book in front of her. Hell, the music was so loud and her eyes so focused on the book that she didn't even see the orange-haired man stare at her, shake his head a bit, and quickly leave the aisle, yelling at everyone not to mess with her.

Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was bad luck, but Ruby Rose, age 15, was completely oblivious to the robbery that was going on around her.

* * *

 **Interrogation!**

"No sir! I was in the back aisle, reading the latest 'Weapon Artist' magazine!" Ruby said to the officer who was questioning her.

Ruby Rose was currently in an interrogation room, sitting on a uncomfortably hard chair. A metal table was all that divided her from a stern looking, middle-aged man.

"And why didn't you get help or try to stop them? It says here that you are a huntress in training." The man exclaimed, eyeing Ruby in what most would call disappointment.

"I would've, sir! But my music was on too loud, and I was focusing to much on the magazine, sir! Please, you have to believe me!" Ruby practically screamed, tears gathering at her eyes.

The tears seemed to have affected the officer, because his voice suddenly became more gentle and smooth, his body relaxing and leaning forward.

"Hey, hey. Don't cry. Look, we don't think it was you. In fact, we are almost 100% sure that it was Roman Torchwick. The cameras caught some of his hair, right? We just needed you to tell us everything you knew. We will be doing the same thing to the store clerk, alright? Now then, why don't you go outside? Your father is out there waiting for you, and he seems to be getting angry!" The officer explained to Ruby, chuckling a bit at the end.

Ruby joined him in his laughter, her dad _would_ get angry over something like this.

"Now there's a smile! C'mon, let's head out." the officer said, causing Ruby to nod slightly, a smile on her face.

He then walked out, Ruby following his footsteps in a childish manner.

* * *

 **I'm Fine, Dad!**

"Bring me my daughter, _RIGHT NOW!_ " roared Taiyang.

"Look, sir, please! We just need to question her and she'll be right out!" said the officer trying to stop him.

"I. Don't. Care! Bring her here, or else I'll-"

"Sir?"

" _DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"_ roared Taiyang… again.

"SIR! Your daughter is right here!" said the officer.

"Ruby! Are you alright? Were you hurt? Tell me! Oh, you need to go to the hospital, don't you? C'mon, let's go!" ranted Taiyang at Ruby.

Ruby, along with all the officers who were watching, sweatdropped. They were all thinking the same exact thing.

"Now t _hat's_ a Papa Bear." said one brave officer.

Taiyang turned to the man, an angry glint in his eye. The officer slowly backed away, but hit a wall.

"Oh, you think that is funny, don't you? Well, I'll-!"

"Dad! I'm Fine!"" said Ruby, not even realizing that she just saved a man's life.

"Are you sure, sweety?"

"YES! I'll tell you all about it while we are getting Yang. Can we _go_ now?" said Ruby, face suddenly turning all pouty and annoyed.

Taiyang stood no chance.

"Fine, fine! Let's go. You can start your story, now." replied Taiyang.

"Right, so it started like this: I first got ice cream and…"

The officers all just watched in shock as the father and daughter walked away, completely forgetting that they had to sign out and the such.

"...What just happened? Er, I mean… _GET BACK TO WORK!"_

* * *

 **Picking up Yang!**

"So then I put on my headphone and picked out a magazine, right! It was the latest one and had the _best_ weapons! Like, there was a-"

"Stay on topic"

"Right, right. Anyway, the music was so loud and I was so focused on the magazine that I didn't even notice all the thugs. So they just… let me be. It was weird, but I'm not complaining! Anyway, then the officers came and took me to that weird cell-"

A flash of anger appeared in Taiyang's eyes.

"-But the guy who questioned me was super nice and everything! I think you'd like him! He was all like 'Don't worry! You aren't in trouble!' and I was all like 'Yay!' and then we walked out to see you… er, talking with the other officers."

Taiyang stopped suddenly, and quickly grabbed Ruby by the shoulders.

"Ruby, did you think this guy was handsome?"

"Well, kinda, but-" replied Ruby, before suddenly being cut off.

"Did you feel, well, 'hot'?"

"Yeah, but that was only because I was rushed there, and-"

"Did you catch his name?"

"...DAD! I don't… _like like_ him." Ruby blushed. "He was nice and everything, but he is, like, 40! And he said he was married!"

Taiyang fell down to the ground in relief. He was just glad that he didn't have to… _harm_ anyone. After all, Ruby had to be _at least_ 25 before dating.

"You started dating Mom when you were 19, though." whined Ruby.

Woops, he said it aloud. Not that it matters, though. At the moment, they have another daughter to pick up!

"Anyway, why don't you go get Yang while I get us some groceries? We need some more milk, eggs, flour, chocolate chips, and everything else that is in cookies." said Taiyang to Ruby.

"Right!"

And so Ruby ran around Mainstreet, looking for explosions and the sort, while Taiyang went to get some groceries.

Eventually, though, both had completed their tasks. Ruby finishing hers first. Not that it was hard. All she had to do was go to the 'Adult Street', as her Dad had put it, and find out which bar was the loudest.

And which one had people running away.

"Yang!" Ruby whined to her flaming sister. "C'mon! I want to go back to Patch!"

Her sister calmed down and swung her hair back.

"Fine. Anyways, how was your day?"

Ruby's eyes lit up.

" _Oh,_ it was _weird!_ So I first went to get ice cream, right? Well, then I-"

* * *

 **Trip Back to Patch!**

"Well, girls, are you reader to head home?" said Taiyang to his daughters.

It was when they made their mumbles of agreement that Taiyang pulled the engine on the boat and they started speeding home.

"So, are you sure you will be okay alone?" asked Yang to Ruby. Yang was, after all, leaving for Beacon tomorrow.

"I'll be fine! Just you wait, I'll be the most popular girl in school now that you are gone!" was Ruby's response.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine."

A comfortable silence then fell amongst them.

For Ruby, thoughts of how life will be without her sister entered her mind. She was thinking about how it will be different, but fun.

For Yang, thoughts about her new life at Beacon entered her mind. Would she be popular? What does lunch taste like?

For Taiyang, thoughts of beating up boys entered his mind.

* * *

 **Putting Things Away! (Ft. Yang)**

"Hey Ruby?" asked Yang.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure!"

Yang opened the door and sat down on Ruby's bed, watching as her sister played around with her scroll a bit.

"Look-" started Yang.

"Is this about you going to Beacon?" Ruby cut in.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then forget it! Everything will turn out fine." Ruby said to her, before pointing the the lump in Yang's pocket.

"Now play 'Space Adventure' with me. I bet that I'll beat you!"

"No way! You're on!" Yang laughed.

Yang had wanted to tell Ruby that she would miss her, and all the sorts. But Ruby had made her realize that they could still call each other, visit each other, etc. Things won't change _too_ much.

Anyway, she has a game to win!

* * *

 **The Dream**

"Ugh… Where am I?" Ruby said, sitting up groggily.

She seemed to be in a burnt down classroom. After looking out the window and seeing the CCT, she realized that she was in Beacon.

"Wow! Why am I here, though? And why is everything burnt down?"

 _Crack_

An Ursa broke through the wall and was running straight at her. She couldn't dodge! She braced herself for impact and-

Watched as it went straight through her.

"What the heck?"

She tried touching its now sitting form, but saw that her hand just… passed through it. She couldn't feel anything, she realized.

She walked out of the room warily, searching for… something. She was in a courtyard when she saw _it_.

A giant dragon, summoning Grimm and screeching loudly.

"What the heck!" yelled Ruby, bolting straight up out of her bed. A ray of sunshine hit her eyes directly, causing her to put her hands up.

She was in her room, and she was safe.

There was most certainly _not_ a Grimm Dragon.

* * *

 **Goodbye, Yang!**

She walked downstairs, grabbed some orange juice and toast, and sat down. Yang was soon sitting down right next to her.

"Yang," Ruby yawned. "You will _not_ believe the dream I just had. There was a Grimm Dragon and everything! And I was in Beacon. It was _weird_."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

An awkward silence approached them.

"Look, Ruby. I just want to say goodbye and to let you know that… that I'll miss you, okay?" Yang suddenly burst out, surprising Ruby.

Ruby laughed. She thought Yang was acting silly.

"Look, Yang. We can literally see eachother every weekend if we want to. There is no need to say goodbye." said Ruby, attempting to cheer up Yang.

"Right, yeah. You're right." Yang sighed. She couldn't help but feel like things will be _different._

Then Taiyang came down.

"Ready to go, Yang?" He said. Yang nodded her affirmative.

All three of them walked out the door and began walking towards the docks. A comfortable silence spread out among them. They soon found themselves at their destination.

"Well, off I go." said Yang.

"Bye, Yang!" said Ruby.

"Take care of yourself, sweety." murmured Taiyang into Yang's hair. She usually wouldn't allow this, but just this once…

"I will, I will" said Yang. She'd miss them. "Until next time!"

Yang nodded to the sailor and soon they were off into the distance.

"I'll train extra hard!" yelled Ruby after her.

Taiyang turned to Ruby.

* * *

 **Taiyang's Rebuttal**

"No you will not." said Taiyang.

"What?" was Ruby's reply. What was her Dad talking about?

"You will _not_ train 'extra hard'" he repeated.

"Why!" Ruby practically yelled. "I need to keep up with her!"

"No, you do not!" Taiyang said, causing Ruby to fume.

"And why not?!"

"Because that is how you waste your life." Taiyang said solemnly.

Ruby fell silent. What was he talking about?

"Do not waste your time training." started Taiyang. "When you could be having fun. Train sometimes, of course. When you need to. But you _must_ remember to have fun, meet people, and not regret any decision you make, alright?"

"Right, yeah, okay." said Ruby, slightly awestruck. You could tell that his words had gotten to her.

"Now, let' get Ice Cream and then call your sister, eh?"

"Mm!"

* * *

 **AN: New story! Thank you for reading! This** _ **should**_ **be updated weekly, but no promises! I still have to write my chapters for 'Falling Through the Rabbit Hole!'. Anyway, grammar mistakes will be fixed in the upcoming week.**

 **This story was inspired by 'Kill Your Heroes' and 'Not This Time, Fate'.**

 **Review, Favorite, Follow!**


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